Grand Theft Auto V is just about a week away from release, and its popularity is at a fever pitch, with players everywhere eager to return to the open sandbox criminal world. The game will present three new “heroes” to take control of – the young Franklin, the veteran Michael and the off-the-wall Trevor – as they gain riches through a number of criminal activities.
Over the years, we’ve seen Grand Theft Auto V grow into something special, and there’s no better way to put it into perspective than through its history of trailers. Let’s start with the debut video that started it all, which arrived on YouTube nearly two years ago.
Grand Theft Auto V Trailer
With its debut trailer, Rockstar Games showed exactly what kind of development muscle it was putting into its long-awaited sequel. It’s the trailer that first introduced us to Michael, a retired criminal who frustratingly ends up back in the action when his troublesome family drains his account dry.
Even for a two-year old piece of video footage, the debut trailer for Grand Theft Auto V looks surprisingly fresh, showing us around the city of Los Santos before finally setting in to its criminal rhythm with a robbery and high-speed antics. It’s the main reason that people have been so excited for the game over the past couple of years.
Grand Theft Auto V: Official Trailer #2
The second trailer for Grand Theft Auto V, which came nearly a year after the debut of the first, turned the spotlight to characters this time around, not only telling more back-story for Michael, but also introducing Franklin and Trevor. It features a number of character interactions throughout, whether it’s Franklin’s former gang allies or Trevor’s unfortunate targets.
There’s also some great vehicular action in the trailer, including plenty of car chases and a narrow escape from a train wreck. If the first trailer didn’t get you excited enough, chances are this one clearly did.
Grand Theft Auto V: Michael
Back in April, Rockstar chose to concentrate even further on the characters, giving each one a small video piece that talks more about the hassles they face around Los Santos. The first piece, Michael, shows more of his family, including his spiteful daughter, cheating wife and gamer son. It also shows the involvement of his psychiatrist, who tries to get to the root of Michael’s problems. All to the tune of Queen’s “Radio Gaga,” no less.
Grand Theft Auto V: Franklin
Franklin’s story may be the most personal of the three in the Grand Theft Auto V universe, mainly because of his having to deal with his former gang members. He finds frustration at every turn as he attempts to build a better life for himself, only to have to return to violence once he teams up with Michael and Trevor. If you look closely, you’ll spot the dog that was featured in the second official trailer for the game – he could play a pivotal part during some missions.
Grand Theft Auto V: Trevor
Out of all the characters in Grand Theft Auto V, Trevor could be the most fun due to his unpredictability. He isn’t afraid to go over the top, choking out a senior citizen or riding a tractor to get to his next objective – in his underwear. He also isn’t afraid to speak his mind, as he comments on a woman’s breasts and demands a massage out of the blue. Still, when it comes to violent business, he still delivers, whether he’s shooting at an incoming vehicle with a pump-action shotgun or riding the wing of an exploding airplane.
Grand Theft Auto V: Official Gameplay Trailer
Back in July, Rockstar Games released its most in-depth video reveal to date, showing off nearly five minutes of gameplay with huge improvements over the last game. Gameplay mechanics have been revamped, so that there’s more “free” movement during shootouts and switching from character to character. You’ll also be able to combine efforts for certain missions, using all three of the game’s stars to execute the perfect heist. Player and vehicle customization are also given brief explanations, making this one of the best trailers to date.
Grand Theft Auto Online: Official Gameplay Video
Unlike Grand Theft Auto IV, the latest game will feature a completely separate online component, simply called Grand Theft Auto Online. Launching October 1st, the game will introduce various activities where you can challenge your friends, whether it’s a full-blown shootout, a vehicular race or joining up to complete elaborate heists. In addition, the game will also give you a virtual space to call your own, which you can redesign however you please before inviting friends to come over and “chill” with you. Though the two-week wait between GTA V’s release and Online’s arrival may be a bit frustrating for some, it’ll certainly be worth it.
Grand Theft Auto V: The Official Trailer
For its “official trailer” release, Rockstar Games opted to keep things short and sweet. It’s already talked about the world of Los Santos and its three main characters at great length through previous trailer releases, so, for this one, it just got right down to the point with a one-minute video, one that reveals a few more story details – like Michael’s previous relations with Trevor – and gives you a better idea of what you can do, including night time police chases, skydiving, and mowing down traffic with a jet fighter. This game can’t come soon enough.
Grand Theft Auto V releases September 17th for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. If you’re looking for more video analysis, check out what our staff had to stay about the trailers at the links below!
Official Trailer Discussion
Grand Theft Auto Online Discussion
Grand Theft Auto: The Official Trailer Discussion
